Men on the Mexican side of the border walk near a massive fence erected in Arizona: The Grand Canyon State's legislature is soliciting private donations to make the border fence even larger. Scott Olson/Getty Images

July 22, 2011

ADVERTISEMENT

Sign Up for

Our free email newsletters

10 things you need to know today

Today's best articles

The week's best photojournalism

Today's top cartoons

Daily business briefing

Arizona lawmakers this week launched a website to raise $50 million for a fence along the state's Mexican border designed to keep out illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. "Arizona once again has to do the job the federal government isn't," said state Sen. Steve Smith, a first-term Republican who sponsored the legislation. The site, Build the Border Fence, had brought in $80,000 as of Thursday, after just two days. Is this a creative solution to a pressing problem, or a politically charged publicity stunt?

This is just a distraction: It's no certainty that the federal government or private landowners would even allow Smith to erect his "Fence of Dreams" on their land, says E.J. Montini at The Arizona Republic. In any case, the fence is really just a diversionary tactic to "get everyone in Arizona fixated again on illegal immigration" so they'll forget about "more recent scandals and screw-ups" that have embarrassed the legislature."Will 'Fence of Dreams' protect... politicians"